Lever operated cover tensioning means for sofa-beds



Nov. 8, 1955 R. c. THOMPSON ETAL 2,722,691

LEVER OPERATED COVER TENSIONING MEANS FOR SOFA-BEDS Filed Sept. 1, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WW fim Nov. 8, 1955 R. c. THOMPSON ET AL 2,722,691

LEVER OPERATED COVER TENSIONING MEANS FOR SOFA-BEDS Filed Sept. 1, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3

Robert C. Thompson Kenneth M. Cayfon 1N VEN TORJ United States Patent LEV-ER'OPERATED COVER TENSIONIN G ,MEANS FOR SOFA-BEDS Robert C. Thompson and Kenneth M. Cayton, Lake Charles, La.

Application September 1, 1954, Serial No. 453,589

3 Claims. (Cl. -47) Our invention relates to means for tensioning the cover of a sofa-bed between the seat and back cushions to take up slack in the cover.

Our invention is designed as an improvement over the tensioning devices of our U. S. Patent No. 2,588,058, dated March 4, 1952.

The primary object of our invention is to provide means for tensioning the cover by gradually increasing pull thereon effected by gradually increasing leverage exerted as an incident to swinging of the back portion upwardly from bed forming position and whereby to gradually tighten the cover in a manner preventing tearing thereof.

Another object is to accomplish the above by a simple arrangement of bellcranks, pull cords, and springs adapted for attachment to a conventional sofa-bed without modification of the latter.

Other and subordinate objects will presently appear when the following description and claims are read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in vertical transverse section of a sofa-bed embodying our improved cover tensioning device with the back portion swung upwardly into sofa forming position and the covers tensioned;

Figure 2 is a similar view with the back portion swung downwardly into bed forming position and the tension on the covers relieved;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view in perspective of a bellcrank lever and parts connected thereto and forming part of the tensioning means, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical transverse section drawn to a smaller scale of a modified embodiment of our cover tensioning means.

Referring by numerals to the preferred embodiment of our invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, the numerals 1 and 3 designate the seat and back portions, respectively, of a conventional sofa-bed and comprising rigid bottom panels 5, 7, with springs 9, 11 thereon supporting seat and back cushions 13, 15 having a fabric cover 17. The numeral 19 designates the usual packer strip for the seat cushion 13 having end rods 21 attached to the bottom panel 5 by springs 23. The bottom panels 5, 7 are hinged together by hinge members 25 for vertical swinging for raising and lowering of the back portion 3 from and into horizontal position to form a sofa and a bed, respectively, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

According to our improvements the cover 17 is pulled downwardly between the seat and back cushions to maintain the same taut when the back portion 3 is swung upwardly into sofa forming position by means of the following.

A fabric strip 27 is stitched, or otherwise attached, as at 29, to the cover 17 between the seat and back cushions 13, 15 to extend transversely of said cover and depend between said cushions 13, 15 with a rod 29 hemmed 2,722,691 Patented Nov. 8, L955 2 in its lo'wer edge to also extend transversely -'of {said -'seat and back cushions.

A pair of bellcranks '81, #33 are mounted in bearing plates 35,- 37 secured by screws to the rear edge of the bottom panel 5 of the seat portion 1 to rock in vertical planes transverse to the strip 27 and rod 29 and beneath opposite ends of said rod 29.

A pair of contractile coil springs 41, 43 connect corresponding arms 45, 47 of the bellcranks 31, 33 to said rod 29 and pull said arms 45, 47 upwardly and forwardly into vertical position when the back portion 3 is swung downwardly into bed forming position and whereby the other arms 49, 51 of said bellcranks swing downwardly and forwardly against the bearing plates 35, 39 all as best shown in Figure 2. In this position of the bellcranks the strip 27 is slack and the cover 17 is relieved of tension between the seat and back cushions 13, 15 and the bellcranks 31, 33 are swung counterclockwise as shown by the arrow in Figure 2.

The back portion 3 is operatively connected to the other arms 49, 51 of the bellcranks 31, 33 to swing the same clockwise as shown in Figure 1 when said back portion 3 is swung upwardly into sofa forming position. For this purpose a pair of pull cords 53, 55 are terminally connected at one end to said arms 49, 51, as at 57, 59, with their other ends connected by screw attached angle brackets 61, 63 to the bottom panel 7 of the back portion 3. The points of connection of the pull cords 53, 55 to the bottom panel is such that when said back portion 3 is swung downwardly into bed forming position as shown in Figure 2 said cords are slack, whereas, when said back portion is swung upwardly into sofa forming position, the points of connection of said cords 53, 55 to said bottom panel 7 swing upwardly to pull on the cords with a delayed action to correspondingly tension the cover 17 As will be noted because of the upward and rearward throw of the arms 49, 51 and the downward and rearward throw of the arms 45, 47 under the pull of cords 53, 55 against arms 49, 51 the bellcranks 31, 33 act with gradually increasing leverage to stretch the springs 41, 43 and apply gradually increasing tension to the strip 27 and cover 17 to prevent tearing the same and firmly tighten said cover.

In the modified embodiment the pull cords 65, are attached directly to the bottom panel 69 of back portion 71 as at 73. Otherwise the arrangement is the same as in the preferred embodiment.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of our invention without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. Tensioning means for the cover of the seat and back cushions of seat and back portions of a sofa-bed having bottom seat and back panels supporting said cushions, respectively, and hinged together for swinging of said back portion upwardly and downwardly into sofa and bed forming positions, respectively, said means comprising a pair of bellcranks each having a pair of arms, means pivotally mounting said bellcranks on the rear edge and at opposite sides of the bottom panel of the seat portion for vertical swinging movement, operating connections between the bottom panel of the back portion and corresponding arms of the bellcranks for swing ing said bellcranks in one direction by upward swinging of said back portion, and pull connections between the other arms of the bellcranks and said cover, attached to said cover between said cushions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bell -5 Apr. 7, 1942 Young Nov. 23, 1943 Thompson et al. Mar. 4, 1952 Ake et a1. Oct. 6, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Aug. 23, 1923 

